Fathomless deepens the heat: the ceaseless shrilling of sémi
Mounts, like a hissing of fire, up to the motionless clouds.
Mizu karété,
Sémi wo fudan-no
Taki no koë.
—Gen-U.
Water never a drop: the chorus of sémi, incessant,
Mocks the tumultuous hiss,—the rush and foaming of rapids.
Kagéroishi
Kumo mata satté,
Sémi no koë.
—Kitō.
Gone, the shadowing clouds!—again the shrilling of sémi
Rises and slowly swells,—ever increasing the heat!
Daita ki wa,
Ha mo ugokasazu,—
Sémi no koë!
—Kafū.
Somewhere fast to the bark he clung; but I cannot see him:
He stirs not even a leaf—oh! the noise of that sémi!
Tonari kara
Kono ki nikumu ya!
Sémi no koë.
—Gyukaku.
All because of the Sémi that sit and shrill on its branches—
Oh! how this tree of mine is hated now by my neighbor!
This reminds one of Yayū. We find another poet compassionating a tree frequented by sémi:—